Bathing aids



Nov. 6, 1962 H. H. JOHNSON BATHING AIDS Filed May 3, 1961 mom INVENTOR.

HARRY H. JOHNSON ATTORNE c 1 i mt m. s

\\ mLiv United States Patent G 3,061,841 BATHING AIDS Harry H. Johnson, 111 Carlton St., Brookline 46, Mass.

Filed May 3, 1961, Ser. No. 107,515

3 Claims. c1. 4-1ss The present invention relates to bathing aids to enable baths to be taken with increased ease and convenience.

While there are many reasons why bathing aids in accordance with the invention are important, one has its origin in the fact that a bath, either in a tub or under a shower, often results in damage to the attractiveness of the way a womans hair is dressed because either some water gets directly on her hair or the air becomes so humid that the hair loses some of its curl.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a bathing aid that, in addition to other advantages, enables a woman to bathe quickly and easily without the risk of loss of curls. In accordance with the invention, this objective is attained by providing flexible bathing aids each of which has an elongated, spongy body provided with a flexible backing and having a water conduit extending lengthwise between its ends, adjacent the backing, for connection to a faucet. The body has a plurality of ports in communication with the conduit which open through its body-contacting face and these ports are so dimensioned that flushing streams of adequate volume can be established that have insuflicient velocity to carry such distances that the safeguard of a shower curtain must be used to avoid wetting unprotected articles and surfaces.

The backing may extend beyond the ends of the spongy body to provide hand grip portions that enable the bathing aid to be used to cleanse the wearers back as quickly and easily as it can dried with a bath towel.

A bathing aid, in accordance with the invention, may also be provided in ring form and adapted to be opened to receive the neck of the bather so that it may be supported by her shoulders with the sponge ports downwardly disposed to deliver flushing streams over her body.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown illustrative embodiments of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages, will be readily apparent.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the body-contacting face of a bathing aid in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section, on an increased scale, taken approximately along the indicated lines 33 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, plan view of the body-contacting face of a modification of the aid shown in FIGS. 1-3,

FIG. 5 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 5-5 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the backing face of a bathing aid illustrating another embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 7 is a section, on an increased scale, taken approximately along the indicated lines 7-7 of FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the body-contacting face of the bathing aid shown in that view.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGS. 1-3, an elongated, spongy body 10 is shown as having a channel 11 extending lengthwise thereof between the ends of its rear face. A flexible backing 12, that is usually waterproof but needs only to prevent any appreciable flow of water therethrough, is secured to the rear face of the body 10 and, preferably, it is sufficiently wide so that its edges 13 partly overlie the sides thereof. The backing 12 is dimensioned so that it ends 14 extend a substantial distance beyond both ends of the body 10 to provide portions for manual engagement. A fitting 15 ice 2 is anchored in one end of the channel 11 and a length of tubing 16 is shown asconnect'ed thereto and with its'oth'ei' end provided with a connector 17 for useiri attaching it to a faucet. The body '10 has a series bf holes 18 opening through its exposed face and incom'mu'ni'cat'ion' with the channel 11.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGS. 4 and 5 is generally similar except that tubing 19 is disposed between the rear face of the elongated, spongy body 20 and the flexible backing 21. One end of the tubing 19 is closed as at 22 and the tubing 19 has a series of holes 23 which are in communication with respective ones of the body holes 24.

A bathing aid of the types thus far described is sulficiently long to enable the bather to hold it by its end portions and move it relative to his body in such a manner as to ensure efficient cleansing. Its spongy body may be soaped and wrung out and the bather may scrub and wash his back as thoroughly and easily as he may dry it with a towel. It is important to emphasize that the holes through the spongy body should be sufliciently large to provide relatively large and low velocity flushing streams rather than spray jets that, as the bather applies the bathing aid to his body, might shoot beyond the shower stall or tub and wet unprotected surfaces or articles adjacent thereto.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGS. 68 is adapted to be supported by the bathers shoulders and is shown as an aid comprising an elongated, spongy body 25, a flexible backing 26, and a length of tubing 27 anchored therebetween in which there is lodged a curved spring 28 yieldably maintaining the aid in arcuate form with its free ends preferably so closely spaced as to require that they be moved apart to enable the aid to straddle the bathers neck. The tubing 27 has a series of holes 29, each in communication with a port 30 opening through the body 25. The holes 29 and the ports 30, like those of the previously discussed embodiments of the invention, are dimensioned to make it possible to avoid the delivery of water as jet of objectionable velocity.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that bathing aids in accordance with the invention are well adapted to enable persons to bathe quickly, easily, and thoroughly while avoiding certain objectionable consequences attendant the use of tubs or showers.

I claim:

1. A bathing aid comprising an elongated, spongy body including a backing that is a barrier against any appreciable flow of water therethrough, said backing extending beyond the ends of said body, and a water conduit extending lengthwise of said body adjacent said backing and provided with an exposed fitting for use in connecting it to a source of Water under pressure, said body having a plurality of ports spaced lengthwise thereof and in communication with the interior of said conduit, each of a cross sectional area that is such that the total area of said ports ensures against any jet effect through any of them.

2. A bathing aid comprising an elongated, spongy body including a backing that is a barrier against any appreciable flow of water therethrough, said backing extending beyond the ends of said body, and a water conduit in the form of a length of tubing extending lengthwise of said body and provided with an exposed fitting for use in connecting it to a source of water under pressure, said tubing having a plurality of longitudinally spaced, outlet ports, said body having a plurality of ports spaced lengthwise thereof and in communication with appropriate ones of said tubing ports, all tubing and body ports being of a cross sectional area that is such that the total area of said ports ensures against any jet effect through any of them.

3. A bathing aid comprising an elongated, spongy body including a backing that is a barrier against any appreciable flow of water therethrough, said backing extending beyond the ends of said body, said body having a water conduit in the form of a channel extending lengthwise thereof and closed by said backing and provided with an exposed fitting for use in connecting it to a source of Water under pressure, said body having a plurality of ports spaced lengthwise thereof and in communication with the interior of said conduit, each of a cross sectionai area that is such that the total area of said ports ensures against any jet effect through any of them.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 15, 1852 

